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Quarterfinalists Announced for 2015 Music Ed Grammy Award

Mike Lawson • News • May 29, 2014

222 educators selected from 208 cities and 41 states

A total of 222 music teachers from 208 cities across 41 states have been announced as quarterfinalists for the Music Educator Award presented by The Recording Academy and the Grammy Foundation. In total, more than 7,000 initial nominations were submitted from all 50 states.

The Music Educator Award was established to recognize current educators (K– college, public and private schools) who have made a significant and lasting contribution to the field of music education and who demonstrate a commitment to the broader cause of maintaining music education in the schools.

A joint partnership and presentation of The Recording Academy and the Grammy Foundation, this special award will be presented at the Special Merit Awards Ceremony (honoring recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award, Trustees Award and Technical Grammy Award) during Grammy Week 2015.

 As announced on the 55th Annual Grammy Awards by president/CEO of The Recording Academy and Grammy Foundation Neil Portnow, TV and radio host/producer and Grammy Foundation Honorary Board Chair Ryan Seacrest, and nine-time Grammy winner Justin Timberlake, the award was open to current U.S. music teachers, and anyone could nominate a teacher – students, parents, friends, colleagues, community members, school deans, and administrators. Teachers were also able to nominate themselves, and nominated teachers were notified and invited to fill out an application.

One recipient will be selected from 10 finalists each year, and will be recognized for his/her remarkable impact on students’ lives. The winner will be flown to Los Angeles to accept the award, attend the Grammy Awards ceremony, and receive a $10,000 honorarium. The nine finalists will each receive a $1,000 honorarium, and the schools of all 10 finalists also will receive matching grants. The honorariums and grants provided to the finalists and schools are made possible by the generosity and support of the Grammy Foundation’s Education Champions: Converse, Disney Performing Arts, Ford Motor Company Fund, and Journeys. Nominations for the 2016 Music Educator Award are now open at www.grammymusicteacher.com.

 

Following is the complete list of quarterfinalists. The semifinalists will be announced in September. For more information, please visit www.grammymusicteacher.com

                                     

Name    School Name      City      State

Keely Abeln       Francis Howell Middle School       Saint Charles      Mo.

Diane Abrahamian           Penfield High School       Rochester           N.Y.

Steven Acciani    Diamond Bar High School            Diamond Bar      Calif.

Phil Aguglia       Kenmore East High School           Tonawanda         N.Y.

Leslie Alan         South Miami Middle Community School    Miami   Fla.

J. Anthony Allen McNally Smith College of Music   St. Paul Minn.

Anthony Allmond           Kaiser High School          Fontana Calif.

Anthony Alvaro  West Genesee High School           Camillus            N.Y.

Corey Ames       Loyola Academy Wilmette           Ill.

Mark Anderson   Oswalt K8 Academy        La Puente           Calif.

Neil Anderson     Murrieta Valley High School         Murrieta Calif.

David Bachart     New Hope-Solebury High School   New Hope          Pa.

Nancy Maria Balach         University of Mississippi  Oxford   Miss.

Mary Barto         The New School New York          N.Y.

Graham “Scott”  Barton    Moreau Catholic High School        Hayward            Calif.

Jeff Behrens        Richland Center High School        Richland Center  Wis.

William Bennett Cane Bay High School     Summerville       S.C.

Fritz Benz          North Smithfield High School       North Smithfield R.I.

Jake Bergevin     Edmonds-Woodway High School   Edmonds           Wash.

Anthony Bernhauser         Pearre Creek Elementary School     Franklin Tenn.

Rob Blaney        Woodbridge High School Irvine    Calif.

Cindy Bradley-Cipriano    Colonial Road School      Franklin Lakes    N.J.

Gregg Breinberg  P.S. 22  Staten Island       N.Y.

Timothy Brown  Franklin High School       Reisterstown       Md.

Stephanie Brueggeman     Progress South Elementary School St. Peters           Mo.

Aaron Buck        DeWitt Middle School     Ithaca    N.Y.

Jean Burkhart      Seymour High School      Seymour            Tenn.

Joe Cantaffa        Howell High School        Farmingdale       N.J.

Otis Carter III     Moss Point High School  Moss Point        Miss.

Jared Cassedy     Windham High School     Windham           N.H.

Brandon Catt      Glenbard East High School           Lombard            Ill.

Caleb Chapman   Pioneer High School for the Performing Arts            American Fork    Utah

Bernie Chavez     Deming High School       Deming N.M.

Ching-Ming Cheng          California State University San Marcos        San Marcos        Calif.

Michael Chester  Stewarts Creek High School          Smyrna  Tenn.

Josh Chodoroff    Waubonsie Valley High School     Aurora   Ill.

Joseph Chouinard            East Detroit High School  Eastpointe          Mich.

Dr. Buddy Clements        Walnut High School        Walnut  Calif.

Joyce Click        North Central High School            Indianapolis        Ind.

Travis Coakley   Biloxi High School         Biloxi   Miss.

Christy Colburn  Itawamba Community College       Fulton   Miss.

                                     

                                     

Name    School Name      City      State

Mark Colozzi      Cranston High School East           Cranston            R.I.

Steve Connell     Moc-Floyd Valley Senior High School        Orange City        Iowa

Travis Cook       Marvin L. Winans Academy of Performing Arts        Detroit   Mich.

Cheryl  Corkran  Greenacres Middle School Bossier City       La.

Glenn Cowen      Upper Moreland High School        Willow Grove     Pa.

Ryan Crabtree     Fruita Monument High School      Fruita    Colo.

Charles Cushinery           Ed W. Clark High School Las Vegas          Nev.

Michael Danielson           First Avenue Middle School          Arcadia  Calif.

Adrian Davis      Roosevelt High School     Minneapolis       Minn.

Andy Davis        Reavis High School         Burbank Ill.

David Davis       Harmony Middle School   Overland Park     Kan.

Mark De Hertogh R.L. Paschal High School Fort Worth         Texas

David Dehner      Monte Vista Christian School        Watsonville        Calif.

Jamal Dickerson  Creative Arts Morgan Village Academy       Camden N.J.

Jeff Doebler         Valparaiso University       Valparaiso          Ind.

Mark Duker        Waubonsie Valley High School     Aurora   Ill.

Terry Eberhardt   Marriotts Ridge High School         Marriottsville      Md.

Steven Edwards   Falmouth High School     Falmouth           Mass.

Nicholas Efstathiou          Bay High School Panama City       Fla.

Alexandra Errico  Springdale Elementary School       Stamford            Conn.

Eufemio Escalante            Vina Danks Middle School           Ontario  Calif.

Krista Fanning    Caddo Middle Magnet      Shreveport          La.

Michael Fansler   Western Illinois University           Macomb            Ill.

Mark Femino      Millis Middle/High School           Millis    Mass.

Anne Fennell      Mission Vista High School           Oceanside           Calif.

John Flora          Franklin L. Williams Middle School #7      Jersey City         N.J.

Elizabeth Fortune            Washington Middle School           Seattle   Wash.

Desiree Fowler    Ramon C. Cortines School of Visual & Performing Arts        Los Angeles       Calif.

Brian Gagnon     Fairview Elementary School          Auburn  Maine

Michael Garvey   Lamphere High School     Madison Heights Mich.

Sean Gavarny      Hoboken Charter School   Hoboken            N.J.

Debbie Glick      Alexandria Middle School Pittstown           N.J.

Vivian Gonzalez  South Miami K-8 Center  Miami   Fla.

Anthony Good    Nicholas Oresko School    Bayonne            N.J.

Johnnie Green     Lehman High School       Kyle      Texas

Randy Greenwell Lawrence Central High School       Indianapolis        Ind.

Janet Grice         Fordham High School for the Arts  Bronx    N.Y.

Melissa Gustafson-Hinds   O’Fallon Township High School    O’Fallon            Ill.

Eric Hahn           Bangor Area High School Bangor  Pa.

Amy Hannequin  Derby High School          Derby    Conn.

Aaron Hardwick  Frank W. Cox High School          Virginia Beach    Va.

                                     

Name    School Name      City      State

Rodney Harshbarger         Old Kings Elementary School        Flagler Beach      Fla.

Brad Hart           Johansen High School      Modesto            Calif.

Richard Hauf       Havre de Grace High School          Havre de Grace    Md.

Micah Haven      Meeker Middle School     Tacoma Wash.

Sheila Heffernon  Northfield Mount Hermon School   Gill       Mass.

Lenora Helm Hammonds  North Carolina Central University  Durham N.C.

Michael Henderson          Chase High School          Forest City         N.C.

Michael Anthony Hernandez          Plano Senior High School Plano    Texas

Aaron Hill Sr.     Smithfield High School    Smithfield          Va.

Michael Hood     Wissahickon High School Ambler  Pa.

Robin Hopper     Homestead Elementary School       Eagle River        Alaska

Ronald Horner    Frostburg State University            Frostburg           Md.

Matthew Howe    Indio High School           Indio     Calif.

Frank Hudson     Bledsoe County High School        Pikeville            Tenn.

Ian Hughes         Verner Elementary           Oakmont            Pa.

Ralph Jackson     Bridle Path Elementary School      Lansdale            Pa.

Robb Janov        Jefferson Middle School    Albuquerque       N.M.

Sarah Jester        Northeast High School     Pasadena            Md.

Calvert Johnson  Agnes Scott College        Decatur  Ga.

Curtis Johnson    West Virginia Wesleyan College    Buckhannon       W. Va.

D.L. Johnson      North Monterey County High School          Castroville         Calif.

Kyle Johnson      JJ Pearce High School      Richardson        Texas

Jamie Johnston   Camelback High School   Phoenix Ariz.

Sean Kennedy     Sandy Run Middle School            Dresher  Pa.

Demeka Kimpson            Sedgefield Middle School Charlotte            N.C.

Shannon Kitelinger          San Diego State University           San Diego          Calif.

Anne Klus          St. Paul Academy and Summit School        St. Paul Minn.

Joan Knoernschild           Greenfield Middle School  El Cajon            Calif.

Barry E. Kopetz  Capital University           Columbus          Ohio

Nancie Kozel-Tobison      Barrington High School    Barrington          Ill.

Gordon Krauspe  Wheaton Warrenville South High School    Wheaton            Ill.

Jacalyn Kreitzer   Cal Poly State University San Luis Obispo Calif.

Don Krudop       Visual & Performing Arts Academy at Salem High School     Virginia Beach    Va.

John Landers      Patch High School           APO     N.Y.

Mark Laughlin    Georgia Southwestern State University        Americus           Ga.

David Leach       Pioneer High School        Ann Arbor          Mich.

Ollie  Liddell      Memphis Central High School       Memphis           Tenn.

Susanna Loewy   Kutztown University        Kutztown           Pa.

Jason Luciana     Wilmington High School Wilmington       Mass.

Jami Lupold       Pearl Hall Elementary       South Houston    Texas

Erik Lynch         Verona High School         Verona   N.J.

                                     

Name    School Name      City      State

Mark  Lynn        University of Louisville    Louisville          Ky.

Fernando Malvar-Ruiz      American Boychoir School            Princeton           N.J.

Dean Marino       West Port High School    Ocala     Fla.

Stevi Marks        Glenbrook South High School       Glenview           Ill.

Christine Martin-Beutner  Sam Houston Elementary School   Denton  Texas

Richard Maxwell Arcadia High School        Phoenix Ariz.

James McCrann   Garden City High School  Garden City        N.Y.

Lisa McCutchan  Sandra Day O’Connor High School Helotes  Texas

Shawna Mendez  The Manning School       Golden  Colo.

Carlos Mendez Jr.            Fayetteville-Manlius High School  Manlius N.Y.

Andrea Meyers    Douglas County High School        Castle Rock        Colo.

Jonathan Meyers  P.S. 182Q Samantha Smith          Jamaica  N.Y.

Duane Minnick   Briar Woods High School Ashburn Va.

Patrick Mitchell  Cameron Park Elementary Hillsborough      N.C.

Charles Morgan   Joliet Junior College        Joliet     Ill.

Melissa  Morris   CSI High School for International Studies    Staten Island       N.Y.

Mark Mraz         John Metcalf Junior High School    Burnsville          Minn.

Melton Mustafa   Parkway Middle School of the Arts Lauderhill          Fla.

Kim Neu            Julia R. Masterman Laboratory & Demonstration School        Philadelphia       Pa.

Torrey Newhart   Academy of Arts and Academics     Springfield         Ore.

Matthew Neylon  Rockford Christian Schools           Rockford            Ill.

Pablo Ocanas      Pine Shadows Elementary Houston Texas

Michael Ortiz      Bellalago Academy          Kissimmee         Fla.

Frank Owens      Centennial Lane Elementary School            Ellicott City       Md.

Thomas Paster    Northern Highlands Regional High School   Allendale           N.J.

Sarah Payne        Bryan Station Middle School        Lexington          Ky.

Andrew Perkins   Fenton High School         Fenton   Mich.

Cynthia  Plank    Beaumont Middle School Portland Ore.

Linette Popoff-Parks         Madonna University         Livonia  Mich.

Richard Popolizio            Park Ridge Middle/High School    Park Ridge         N.J.

Jay Posteraro      Mesa Verde Middle School           San Diego          Calif.

Deborah Prather   Brownsburg High School  Brownsburg        Ind.

Edward Protzman            Blue Valley Southwest     Overland Park     Kan.

Rosa Rabinovich Norman S. Edelcup Sunny Isles Beach K-8  Sunny Isles        Fla.

Michael Raiber    Oklahoma City University            Oklahoma City   Okla.

Mary Raymond   Immaculate High School   Danbury Conn.

Debra Reilly       Springhouse Middle School          Allentown          Pa.

Shawn Reynolds Howland Middle School   Warren  Ohio

Jim Rice            Inglemoor High School    Kenmore            Wash.

Erich Rivero       Glades Middle School      Miami   Fla.

John Roberts      Montana State University Billings  Billings Mont.

                                     

Name    School Name      City      State

Brian Roelandt    Fitzgerald High School     Warren  Mich.

Robin Rogers     Charleston School of the Arts        Charleston          S.C.

Kathy Rohrs       Chaminade College Preparatory Middle School         Chatsworth         Calif.

Don  Rose          Curtis Senior High School            University Place  Wash.

Mara Rose          Fleming Island High School          Orange Park        Fla.

Susan Rydzeski   East Islip High School     Islip Terrace       N.Y.

Melissa Salguero P.S. 48 Joseph R. Drake   Hunts Point        N.Y.

Peter Sampson    Whiteland Community High School           Whiteland          Ind.

Jesse Sanchez      Westmont High School    Campbell           Calif.

Scott Schleuter    Perrysburg High School    Perrysburg          Ohio

Glen Schneider    Metea Valley High School            Aurora   Ill.

Adam Schultheis Fremont Middle School    Las Vegas          Nev.

Calvin  Sexton    Beltline Elementary School           Lancaster            Texas

Curtis Shaw       Homestead High School   Fort Wayne        Ind.

Keven Shepherd  Miller Grove High School Lithonia Ga.

Chaz Shipman    Freeport Area Senior High School  Sarver    Pa.

Karl Siewertsen   John H. West School       Bethpage            N.Y.

Paula  Simmons  Elwood Community High School  Elwood  Ind.

Luke Skerpon     Bellefonte Area High School          Bellefonte           Pa.

Huber Smith       Maplewood Middle School           Sulphur La.

Michael  Smith               Nyack High School          Nyack    N.Y.

Nick Smith        Hillcrest High School       Tuscaloosa         Ala.

Patrick Smith     Pueblo West High School Pueblo   Colo.

Ronald Smith     Northfield Mount Hermon             Gill       Mass.

Andrea Crisara Snouffer     West Ridge Middle School           Austin   Texas

Wilbert Solomon            McLean Middle School    Fort Worth         Texas

Charles Somech  Murrayville Elementary    Wilmington       N.C.

Eric Songer        Chaska Middle School West         Chaska  Minn.

Michael Steele    Lake Orion High School   Lake Orion         Mich.

Roxanne Stevenson          Chicago State University  Chicago Ill.

James Story        Volunteer State Community College           Gallatin Tenn.

Brad Stoughton   Fall Creek High School    Fall Creek          Wis.

Daniel  Strange   University of Miami         Coral Gables       Fla.

Jeffrey Street       Jesse C. Carson High School         China Grove       N.C.

Michael Struzik   Brighton High School      Rochester           N.Y.

Loy Studer         S. H. Rider High School  Wichita Falls      Texas

Siema Swartzel   Arnold Memorial Elementary School          Cleveland           Tenn.

Jennifer Theisen  Howell L. Watkins Middle School Palm Beach Gardens        Fla.

Matthew Thomas            River Trail Middle School            Johns Creek        Ga.

Vann Thornton   Savannah Arts Academy   Savannah           Ga.

Amber Turcott    Tarpon Springs Middle School      Tarpon Springs   Fla.

Vincent Turturiello          Scotch Plains Fanwood High School          Scotch Plains      N.J.

                                     

Name    School Name      City      State

Josh Tyree         Liberty Middle School     Cumming          Ga.

Matt Vanacoro    Fox Lane Middle School  Mt. Kisco          N.Y.

Amy Vanek        Clarksburg High School   Clarksburg         Md.

Micah Volz        Saint Clair High School   St. Clair            Mich.

Ashley “AJ”  Walker        Linden Hall School          Lititz     Pa.

Kristen Walter    Dana Elementary School   Hendersonville    N.C.

Jay Wardeska      Brunswick High School    Brunswick          Ohio

Fred Wenger       East Middle School         Great Falls         Mont.

Ken Wiele          Indian Trail High School and Academy       Kenosha Wis.

Dustin Wiley      Firelands High School      Oberlin  Ohio

Diana Wiley-Harrigan       Sauk Elementary School   Richton Park      Ill.

Katie Wilson      Cathedral Catholic High School     San Diego          Calif.

Kelly Winovich  Northgate Middle and Senior High School   Pittsburgh          Pa.

Mark Wurtzel     Pershing Middle School   Houston Texas

James Wynne     Jefferson Township High School    Oak Ridge          N.J.

Danny Yancey     Martin Gifted and Talented Magnet Middle School    Raleigh  N.C.

 

 

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